Hostler vs rail equipment operator

The differences between hostlers and rail equipment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a rail equipment operator has an average salary of $53,402, which is higher than the $39,313 average annual salary of a hostler.

The top three skills for a hostler include DOT, landing gear and dock doors. The most important skills for a rail equipment operator are OSHA, rail yard, and .

Hostler vs rail equipment operator overview

	Hostler	Rail Equipment Operator
Yearly salary	$39,313	$53,402
Hourly rate	$18.90	$25.67
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	1,177	41,857
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 67%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	-	-

Hostler vs rail equipment operator salary

Hostlers and rail equipment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hostler	Rail Equipment Operator
Average salary	$39,313	$53,402
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $55,000	Between $31,000 And $91,000
Highest paying City	Niagara Falls, NY	-
Highest paying state	Wisconsin	-
Best paying company	Ryder System	-
Best paying industry	Transportation	-

Differences between hostler and rail equipment operator education

There are a few differences between a hostler and a rail equipment operator in terms of educational background:

	Hostler	Rail Equipment Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 67%
Most common major	Business	Biology
Most common college	-	-

Hostler vs rail equipment operator demographics

Here are the differences between hostlers' and rail equipment operators' demographics:

	Hostler	Rail Equipment Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9%	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 1.9% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.6% Asian, 1.9% White, 74.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between hostler and rail equipment operator duties and responsibilities

Hostler example responsibilities.

Direct outbound train crew to locomotive departure tracks and direct inbound locomotives within mechanical facility limits to their final destination tracks.
Operate 4K and 6K forklifts to load and unload FedEx trailers and support trucks; inventory each shipment prior to departure.

Rail equipment operator example responsibilities.

Need method to proactively manage the business improving cross-functional collaboration & KPI visibility.
Lead compression shift of twenty-one operators and supporting staff in daily operations of manufacturing generic prescription medications in a GMP setting.
Create comprehensive written reports and PowerPoint presentations that show information in an interactive form during monthly staff meetings.

Hostler vs rail equipment operator skills

Common hostler skills

DOT, 29%
Landing Gear, 23%
Dock Doors, 15%
Yard Truck, 12%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Electrical Lines, 2%

Common rail equipment operator skills

OSHA, 83%
Rail Yard, 17%

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Transportation Industry
Hostler
Hostler vs Rail Equipment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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